(1) Old age homes established under section 19 shall be maintained in accordance with the following norms and standards, namely:— (A) The home shall have physical facilities and shall be run in accordance with the operational norms as laid down in the Schedule.
(B) Inmates of the home shall be selected in accordance with the following procedure,—
(a) applications shall be invited at appropriate intervals, but at least once each year, from indigent senior citizens, as mentioned in section 19 of the Act, desirous of living in the home;
(b) in case the number of eligible applicants on any occasion is more than the number of places available in a home for admission, selection of inmates will be made in the following manner,—
(i) the more indigent and needy will be given preference over the less indigent applicants, “FRRTE, TG TRAT SR AT S-36, S 3%, 0R0/30E 2, THERR W™
(ii) other things being equal, older senior citizens will be given preference over the less old,
(iii) other things being equal, female applicants will be given preference over male applicants, and
(iv) illiterate or very infirm senior citizens may also be admitted without any formal application if the District Magistrate or other competent authority, designated by him for the purpose, is satisfied that the senior citizen is not in a position to make a formal application, but is badly in need of shelter.
(C) While considering applications or cases for admission, no distinction shall be made on the basis of religion or caste;
(D) The home shall provide separate lodging for men and women inmates, unless a male and a female inmate are either blood relations or a married couple;
(E) Day-to-day affairs of the old age home shall be managed by a Management Committee which shall be constituted in accordance with orders and guidelines issued by the State Government from time to time, and that inmates shall be suitably represented on the Committee.
(2) State Government may issue detailed guidelines or orders from time to time for admission into and management of old age homes in accordance with the norms and standards laid down in sub-rule (1) and the Schedule,
CHAPTER V DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE DISTRICT MAGISTRATE.
19. Duties and powers of District Magistrate~~(1) The District Magistrate shall perform the duties and exercise the powers mentioned in sub-rules (2) and (3) so as to ensure that the provisions of the Act are properly carried out in his district.
(2) It shall be the duty of the District Magistrate to,—
(i) draw a plan in consultation with the Superintendent of Police or Commissioner of Police of the concerned district under his jurisdiction and ensure that life and property of senior citizens of the district are protected and they are able to live with security and dignity;
(ii) oversee and monitor the work of Maintenance Tribunals and Maintenance Officers of the district with a view to ensuring timely and fair disposal of applications for maintenance, and execution of Tribunals’ orders;
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(iii) oversee and monitor the working of old age homes in the district so as to ensure that they conform to the standards laid down in these rules, and any other guidelines and orders of the State Government;
(iv) ensure regular and wide publicity of the provisions of the Act, and Central and State Governments’ programmes for the welfare of senior citizens; .
(v) encourage and co-ordinate with panchayats, municipalities, Nehru Yuwa Kendras, educational institutions and especially their National Service Scheme Units, organizations, specialists, experts, activists, ete.
working in the district so that their resources and efforts are effectively pooled for the welfare of senior citizens of the district;
(vi) ensure provision of timely assistance and relief to senior citizens in the event of natural calamities and other emergencies;
(vii) ensure periodic sensitization of officers of various Departments and Local Bodies concerned with welfare of senior citizens, towards the needs of such citizens, and the duty of the officers towards the latter;
(viii) review the progress of investigation and trial of cases relating to senior citizens in the respective district, except in cities having a Police Commissioner;
(ix) ensure that adequate number of preseribed application forms for maintenance are available in offices of common contact for citizens like Panchayats, Post Offices, Block Development Offices, Tehasil Offices, Collectorate, Police Stations, ete.
(x) promote establishment of dedicated Help lines for senior citizens at district headquarters, to begin with; and
(xi) perform such other functions as the State Government may by order, assign to the District Magistrate in this behalf, from time to time.
(3) With a view to performing the duties mentioned in sub-rule (2), the District Magistrate shall be competent to issue such directions, not inconsistent with the Act, these rules, and general guidelines of the State Government, as may be necessary, to any concerned Government statutory agency or body worki g in the district, and especially to following, namely:—
(a) Officers of the State Government in the Police, Health and Publicity Departments, and the Department dealing with welfare of senior citizens;
(b) Maintenance Tribunals and Conciliation Officers;
(¢) All Local self Governing institutions and bodies ;
(d) Educational Institutions.
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CHAPTER VI PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY OF SENIOR CITIZENS.